Scouting the Miami Dolphins

FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2013 file photo, Miami Dolphins guard Richie Incognito (68), center left, and and tackle Jonathan Martin (71), center right, sit on the bench in the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans. About halfway between the start of exhibition games and the Super Bowl, there have been plenty of unwanted story lines. Bullying in the locker room, coaches collapsing, serious injuries to marquee players, the D.C. Council's call on Washington's pro football team to change its name _ examples from the past week alone. (AP Photo/Bill Feig, File)
The Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2013 file photo, Miami Dolphins guard Richie Incognito (68), center left, and and tackle Jonathan Martin (71), center right, sit on the bench in the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans. About halfway between the start of exhibition games and the Super Bowl, there have been plenty of unwanted story lines. Bullying in the locker room, coaches collapsing, serious injuries to marquee players, the D.C. Council's call on Washington's pro football team to change its name _ examples from the past week alone. (AP Photo/Bill Feig, File)

The Miami stadium where the Chargers will play Sunday is home to bright orange seats.

Expect to see swaths of neon orange Sunday, via the CBS telecast.

Attendance for Dolphins games is plummeting. A scandal alleging bullying within the team has slimed the franchise and cost the offense two starting linemen. The NFL’s ongoing investigation into the scandal may imperil several Dolphins coaches and club executives.

Minus the two blockers Monday, the Dolphins rushed for just two yards and lost to winless Tampa Bay. They've dropped five of the last six games, three by three points or fewer.

Where the Dolphins (4-5) can find relief, however, is by beating the Chargers (4-5).

Dolphins players have said games are a welcomed outlet from media inquiries about Richie Incognito, their ex-teammate whom the club suspended Nov. 4 for conduct detrimental to the team, in connection to allegations of harassment and bullying linemate Jonathan Martin.

“I told the team: ‘There’s a lot of football left to be played. November and December will determine who moves forward,’ ” Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said after Monday’s defeat.

The Chargers, Dolphins and three others with 4-5 records trail the Jets (5-4) for the AFC’s second wild card. Oddmakers have made San Diego, coming off back-to-back defeats for the first time this season, a one-point favorite to beat Miami a third consecutive time and take a 15-14 lead in the all-time series (including a 2-2 mark in the playoffs).

Owner and Martin: Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said he will meet with Martin this week to ask why the player left the NFL team. Martin's sudden departure two weeks ago ignited national media coverage over locker room hazing, perceived bullying and racial slurs among NFL players.

"We want to get to the bottom of it," Ross told reporters in Miami.

Character issues?: Incognito is accused of threatening Martin in profanity-laced and racially charged voicemail. Several Dolphins players defended Incognito, a member of the team's leadership council, while also raising the possibility that alcohol affected his behavior. “I don’t think it was a secret that Richie liked to go out and have a good time,” offensive tackle Tyson Clabo said, via the Miami Herald. “And I’m sure that we’ve all gone out and had a few too many and called somebody and don’t even remember what we said on the voicemail.”

Chargers in the tropics: In their last visit to Miami, in October 2008, the Chargers saw Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown run for 125 yards and a touchdown in Miami’s 17-10 victory. Brown, 31, is now in his second season with the Chargers.

San Diego connection: In July, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee stepped down and returned to the Padres as their CEO. Padres president Tom Garfinkel succeeded Dee as the Dolphins CEO in September. One of Garfinkel’s tasks is to drum up public support for a new stadium.

The quarterback: NFL sophomore Ryan Tannehill has made all 25 starts since the Dolphins drafted him eighth overall and is 11-14 with an improved completion percentage (61.0) and passer rating (81.2) from last year. He has a strong arm but struggles to find his second or third options. He has 23 career interceptions, nearly one per start. Poor blocking is a problem; the Dolphins have allowed the most sacks in the NFL. Tannehill (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) began as a wide receiver at Texas A&M and still runs well. Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, who was his head coach in college, will mix in a zone-read run for Tannehill, who had rushes of 31, 30 and 20 yards last December. His longest rush this year, for 26 yards versus the Saints in Week 4, was off a zone-read run around left end.